Rag-picking or shoddy machinery



Patented Dec. 20, I898.

0. E. HODDICK.

RAG PI'GKING 0R SHODDY MACHINERY.

(Applicqtion filed J3me 19, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Inventor. W%

W itnessex.

Tn: Nogms PEYERS co, PHOTO-UTHOQ WASfIINGTON. 0. c.

Patented Dec. 20, I898.

0. E. HODDIGK.

RAG PICKING UR SHUDDY MACHINERY.

(Application filed June 19, 1897,) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO E. HODDICK, OF BUFFALO, NEW' YORK.

RAG-PICKING OR SHODDY MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,328, dated December 20, 1898. Application filed June 19, 1897. Serial No. 6'l1,422. (No model.)'

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Orro E. HoDDIoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rag-Picking or Shoddy Machinery; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rag-pickers, and more particularly to a device for shredding waste rags and other woven fabric into shoddy. Its object is to produce a machine for the above purposes with which long-threaded loose shoddy may be drawn from waste fabric, is rapid in its operation, and is arranged to receive the rags or waste fabric and deliver the shoddy in bales, all in a continuous operation.

To that end it consists, first, in the arrangement of an endless conveyer the surface of which is so marked as to guide the operator in feeding the fabric into the machine; second, in the particular arrangement of feed-rollers and pickers with which the fabric is shredded, so as to producealong fibrous shoddy, and, third, in the shoddy-receiving chamber, arranged to compress the shoddy into bales before removing it from the machine.

My invention further consists in the novel arrangement and combination of its detail parts, all of which I will now proceed to definitely describe and then point out in the claims that which I believe to be novel.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of my improved rag-picker or shoddymachine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the arrangement of feed-rollers and picking-teeth. Figs. 4 and dare an edge View and face view, respectively, of the pickingteeth. Figs. 6 and 7 are an edge view and face view, respectively, of the retaining table or comb; and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the shoddy-receiving chamber or balingcase.v

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the frame of the machine, in the forward end of which is mounted the feeding-table 2. This feeding-table consists of a series of parallel strips secured to an endless flexible belt, said belt traveling over the rolls 3 and 4. Arranged on the surface of these parallel strips are the cross-lines 5, which form guides to assist the operator to properly feed the waste fabric,

into the machine, and it will be noted that said lines extend in a direction which is parallel to the line of travel of the table 2. mediately adjoiningthe feed-table are mount ed the feed-rollers 6 and 7, placed one directly over the other and having their point of contact on a horizontal line with the upper surface of the feed-table. These rollers are preferably arranged with rubber cov erings, so as to more firmly hold the fabric traveling'between them, the roller 6 being rigidly mounted in the frame 1, and the roller 7 having a; spring-pressed bearing, so as toenable it to receive stock of various thicknesses. This spring tension is also sufficient to prevent the stock from being drawn between the rolls by the action of the shreddingteeth, thus limiting its travel to the movement of the rolls 6 and 7, which are connected at one of their ends by the small gearwheels 8, only one of which is shown. (See Fig. 2.) In the intervening space between the feed-roller 6 and table 2 is loosely mounted the auxiliary roller 9, which assists the operator to evenly feed the fabric to the rollers Sand 7.

As the fabric passes between the rollers 6 and 7 it travels onto what I will herein term a retaining-plate, which consists of a series of thick metal plates 10, having projecting prongs 11., (see Figs. 6 and 7,) which limit the action of the shredding-teeth. These plates 10 are securely bolted to the cross-piece 12 and extend the entire length of the feed-rolls 6 and 7. p

Centrally mounted within a chamber 13 are the wheels 14, only one of which is herein shown. (See Fig. 1.) These wheels 14 are rigidly mounted on the shaft 15 and are connected at their peripheries by the cross plates or strips 16. Upon these cross-strips 16 are bolted the shredding teeth 17. These are also preferably made in series (see Figs. 4: and 5) shaft and are so curved as to attack the end of the fabric with their pron gs at abou t right angles thereto. The rapid revolving action of these shredding-teeth with the wheels 14 causesa pneumatic effect similar to that of a fanblower, the air entering the chamber 13 at its central opening around the shaft 15 and mak-.

ing its exit through the opening 18, arranged in the rear of said chamber and through which it passes out through the screen-walllt),formed in the rear end of the frame 1, or through the screened walls 21 of the shoddy-chamber 20. This shoddy-receivin g chamber consists of a screened case having metal verticallydisposed spaced protecting-strips 22 on its inner walls and so placed (see Fig. 1) as to receive the disengaged shreds of the fabric, known to the trade as shoddy. It will be seen that the shoddy is deposited in the chamber by the current of air generated by the revolving action of the shredding-teeth.

Directly over the shoddy-chamber 20 is placed the pressure-plate 23, which is herein shown suspended from the screw-threaded 24, which is threaded into the fitting 25, secured to the body of the machine, and

- at the upper end of the shaft 24 are arranged the manipulatinglevers 26, with which the pressure-plate 23 is raised and lowered.

In operation whenit is desired to manufacture shoddy with my improved machine cords 27 are suspended in the receiving-chamber 20, (see Fig. 8,) their ends projecting through small holes arranged at the upper end of the chamber 20, which is now placed into position, as seen in Fig. 1. The waste fabric is then fed into the machine over the feeding-table 2, care being taken to place the fabric on the moving table so as to have its threads run parallel with the strips and its cross-threads run parallel with the cross-lines 5, arranged on said strips. The fabric is now permitted to travel from the feeding-table over the intermediate roller 9 and between the feed-rollers 6 and 7, where it is held in alinement as its protruding end (which rests upon the retainingplate i0) is being acted upon by the shredding-teeth 17. These teeth 17,which project outwardly from the revolving strips 16, are arranged to intermesh with the prongs 11 of the retaining-plates 10, (see Fig. 3,) and engaging the fabric at right angles pick the end thread from the body of the fabric, and in this manner each succeeding series of teeth pick the succeeding thread of the fabric as they are brought in contact with it. The threads thus disengaged are carried through the chamber 13 by the current of air above referred to and deposited into the shoddychamber 20, the air leaving the chamber through the screened walls 19 and 21. After the chamber has been filled with loose shoddy the plate 23 is lowered into it, so as to compress the said shoddy, when it is again returned to its raised position and the shredding continued. After a sufficient quantity of shoddy has been manufactured to form a bale of desired weight the whole is again compressed, as above described, and the bale thus formed tied together by the cords 27, packing the shoddy in this manner before removing it from the chamber 20.

By reason of the chamber 20 being removable it will be seen that when a bale has been completed and it is desired to withdraw the latter from the former said chamber may be moved from the machine and replaced by another chamber, thus overcoming the necessity of the machine ceasing its operation upon the fabric, whereby the number of bales produced is materially increased.

The com pressing-plate 23 might be operated by a system of levers-such as knee-joint levers, &c.thus producing a more rapid action of said plate without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

The market value of shoddy rest-s almost wholly in the length of the threads of which it consists, and it is the particular aim in this machine to produce as long a thread as is practical in a rapidly operating machine, first, by the cross-lines 5, arranged on the feeding-table 2, forminga guide for the proper feeding of waste fabric,which is mostly irregular in its outline, then the auxiliary roller 9 to assist in evenly feeding the fabric to the rollers 6 and 7, then providing the feedingrolls with rubber surfaces so as to firmly hold the fabric in line as its edge is being acted upon, also in arranging the retaining-plate 10 and shredding-teeth 17 in series. By this means the operator is enabled to readily replace such sections which may have become broken or damaged by coming in contact with foreign matter lodged in the fabric, which is frequently found in waste fabric gathered from various places.

The free exit of air passing through the screened walls, as above described, also forms an important factor in carrying off the dust nnd gritty matter disengaged from the shreds by the rapid action of the shredding-teeth.

The curved surface given to the shredding teeth enables them to engage the fabric at right angles-a very desirable feature in drawing long threads. This, however, could be accomplished by feeding the fabric to teeth out in flat blades and engaging the fabric on a line horizontally, lower than that of the shaft 15 without departing from the spirit of my invention, the construction shown being preferred.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rag-picking or shoddy machine, a series of revolving teeth, means for feeding the fabric thereto, and a removable chamber arranged adjacent to said teeth and adapted to receive the shoddy, said chamber being provided with screened walls, whereby the current of air created by the revolving teeth is capable of free exit from the machine for separating dust and foreign matter from the shoddy, substantially as described.

2. In a rag-picking or shoddy machine, a series of revolving teeth, means for feeding the fabricthereto, a removable chamber arranged adjacent to said teeth and adapted to receive the shoddy, said chamber being provided with screened walls, whereby the current of air created by the revolving teeth is capable of free exit from the machine for separating dust and foreign matter from the shoddy, and means for compressing the shoddy in said chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a rag-picking or shoddy machine, suitable picking mechanism, means for feeding the fabric thereto, and a removable chamber adapted to receive the shoddy, said chamber being provided with a series of verticallydispcsed protecting-strips, and also having screened walls, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OTTO E. HODDIOK.

In presence of DANIEL McINTosH, CHAS. S. ORR. 

